The present invention relates to a device applicable to an image recording apparatus for feeding a recording medium in the form of a roll of paper or a cut paper sheet to a predetermined recording section of the apparatus and, more particularly, to a recording medium feeding device of the type having a plurality of paper feed mechanisms which are selectively usable.
A device for feeding a recording medium which includes a plurality of paper feed mechanisms and uses the combination of a roll of paper and a cutter assembly is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Publication (Kokai) No. 54-84482 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication Nos. 58-113052 and 59-229370 by way of example. In order that a facsimile apparatus or similar image recoording apparatus may perform a continuous recording operation, a paper serving as a recording medium has to be continuously supplied to a recording section of the apparatus. In the case that the paper is in the form of a cut paper sheet, a number of such sheets may be stacked on a tray or a cassette and sequentially fed one by one for the continuous recording operation. In the case of a rolled paper, it may be sequentially paid out and cut at a predetermined length to in effect implement the continuous paper feed. The recording operation is of course interrupted when the recording medium in the paper feed mechanism in use runs out. To effect continuous recording without any interruption, therefore, it is necessary that a sufficient amount of recording medium be left in the paper feed mechanism to be used. When the apparatus is equipped with a plurality of paper feed mechanisms and each of such mechanisms is loaded with an expected paper, the possibility of interruption of operation will be reduced if the operator selects one of those mechanisms which accommodates the largest amount of paper beforehand. However, checking the paper feed mechanisms one by one to see the amounts of paper remaining therein and then selecting one of them which has the largest amount of paper is as awkward as the manipulation which would be performed in the event of the interruption of recording operation.